A Memphis repo driver is behind bars after police say a late-night vehicle pickup in Whitehaven exploded into violence, leaving the car owner unconscious on the pavement with serious neck injuries. Authorities say the victim suffered two neck fractures and a deep cut above his ear that required stitches.
According to arrest papers, the driver, identified as 29-year-old Taylor Douget of Coldwater, Mississippi, was in the process of repossessing a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe when the owner tracked down his tow truck at Hewlett Road and Horn Lake Road. As detailed by Action News 5, the affidavit states that Douget used racial slurs, grabbed a metal pipe described as the arm of a two-ton jack and allegedly struck the owner in the head, knocking him out.
How police say the attack unfolded
Investigators say the confrontation started as an argument at the intersection after the owner caught up to the wrecker. According to the arrest documents, the tow-truck driver allegedly slapped the victim’s phone from his hand as tensions rose. A companion with the victim began recording the incident, and police say the blow from the pipe caused the owner to collapse and lose consciousness on the roadway.
Charges and next steps
Douget is charged with attempted second-degree murder and is being held on a $500,000 bond, according to Action News 5. The station reports that Douget admitted arming himself with the pipe but denied actually striking the victim. He is scheduled to appear in Shelby County court on Tuesday morning.
Repossession disputes sometimes turn violent
Clashes during repossessions are not unheard of in the region. In 2025, a tow-truck driver was shot while attempting to repossess a vehicle in nearby Horn Lake, Mississippi, according to WLOX. That earlier case also began as a dispute over a vehicle.
What witnesses should do
Memphis police are continuing to investigate the Whitehaven beating and are asking anyone with information or video of the encounter to come forward. Tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers by calling 528-CASH (2274) or by filing a secure online report at Crime Stoppers. Investigators say bystander recordings often play a crucial role in reconstructing incidents like this.
What the charge means
In Tennessee, attempted second-degree murder is charged by applying the state’s criminal-attempt statute to the elements of second-degree murder, as outlined in Tennessee Code Annotated sections 39-12-101 and 39-13-210. Tennessee courts have addressed how these provisions work together in cases such as a Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals opinion available from the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals.
